Securing means



l l. D. FORD SECURING MEANS Nov. 1s, 1930.

Filed Dec.

f 'A40/l Y Fign4 isa sectional plan Patented Nov. 18, i

l Es RATE NTv f n IRA-- DJORD, 0F ROSELAND, ONTARIO, ,oANAnA`,; A sjsIGN0R f'rov UNTER-snr. BUTTN 'FASTENIivGa kBUTTON oo or DETROIT,` MIQITIGANQA .CQRPORATION oFj MIQHTQAN sEounING MEANS I i Application l'ed DeloemberrrZ, 1827. Seriell No4; 241,761.

This inventiony :relates t0 snap fastener;

securing means and aims-v toA provide im-y provedfmeans for: utilizing snapfasteners for detachablysecuring pieces of cloth together.y y l Y f Theyinvention may be readily understood by reference to kone illustrative embodiment thereof'shown in the accompanying drawin ,rin'wlhioh:` Y

ig.y 1 is a'section through the .elementsof a closedsnap fastener holding togethertwo pieces of fabric; f

Fig. 2 is -ra bottomfplan section taken along y theline 2 2 .of Fig. l1 to show 'the Vhere the fastenerfis designed for-holding. together portions of; l.a cloth garment, for

areaof cloth whichy lesbetween .the prongs of.the}fastener;. *n r along :the line 3-3 lo'Fig. l showing the certain lparts having beenbroken away to interior fastenerwhead;

taken along the line4-:4 of Fig. 1; and m i. A' Fig. 5 is an elevation ,ofa double pronged fastener before; the prongs have in thefattaching operation.

I the illustrative construction. the inter?-y fitting parts'lO and 11 representrthe parts of a snap fastenerandmay for convenie'ncebe` referred to as the ystudupart .and socket part.-

respectively.. The-socket part'y l11con`sists of fa cup shaped vmember;advantageously pressed from sheet `metal and having an-inf.- terior groove 12 adjacent-theedge 13 ofptherim ofthe cup. or socket. Looselyheld withinrk the groove isa springring 14gwhich in this instance .extends almost but not quite around the tcircumference of ythe groove.

The stud part 10 comprises in this insta-nce, a circular'flange or stud 15 .advanta geouslyy of double .thickness Vand projecting from al base' flangel 1,6 which; is preferably integral With tlievcircula-r flange for simplicity and manufacturing-economy. The free edge 4of thestud flange 115 `is advantageously upset to provide ak rounded bead 17 whose external diameter is slightly v"greater than the normal or unstrained internal diameter of thespring 14. The depth'offthe project- -Fig. 3 is a bottom-plan.section taken" construction of Vfthe v been` upset @gema 15 is sueh aan: ifmayenter 'the socket part ll'during which movement the spring.I ring 14 is expanded-thereby to over the beadv l'Z after'which it contracts aroun-dtlie neck or portion of thefiange 15 under the bead. The internal diameter of `the-groove 12:, is madesuliiciently larger than the normal diameter of the ring. to allow room for'expansio'n of Vthe 4ring in passing .The 4 spring strength of'A the spring ring Y14; andthe size vof the bead 17 are designed to oier the desired resistance to separation ofthe stud and socket partsof the fastener.

example, lthey resistance to separation of the stud. and socket must be at leastgreatenough to vwithstand the Vtension.Y (which is sometimesv c relatively large) exerted `in the'normal use of the garment.

The fastener parts are Ia dvr'antageouslyv se-j tively,y said pron-gs. pierce the yfabricwith- Vout materially severing onweaken-ing vany part thereof. f The iprongelements of .the attacliingfasteners after piercing the fabric aresecured ,under .pressure to the respective prong attaching fasteners `20and 2 1, respec-K.

snap fasten'er parts, as by-iupsettingthe ends I 4oli-the prongs. 1 Y The tension infthe fastener prongs Ais suficientto Acause the bases of theA stud andsooket' parts and thefastener heads tightly to,grip,or compressthe fabric @be-V twee'n; them. L'Intheldrawiug each piece of fabric is shown compressedby the gripping laction-.of theelements of each 'fastener part.

The degree of;-co1npression 4necessary to .effect asuiicientggripfupon the fabricobviouslyvdepende :somewhat on :fthev character andv thickness `of the fabric or layers of vfabric tov vsfhich-the-:astener is secured.

` The grip of the pronged fastenenhead-and thegbasefof the fastenerpart upon the fabric f rshould be rinenough to contributesubstantially to securing the "fastener pa-rt place and eszhxrmldV ghe .adequate te withstand the loof usual pull uson the clothV which with some snap fasteners may be relatively strong) nechead of snap fastener parts is av vided with a basei commensurate in size with Vthe head ofa pronged fastener so as to grip' *thel maximum area *of fabric, each base'` in essary to separate the fastener parts, so that in the ordinary case the tendency to displace Vthe fabric between the gripping head and base is effectively resisted. Y

In the present vcase the attaching fasteners and 21 are each provided with a pair of spaced, pointed prongs 22 Which pierce the fabricfyvitliout weakening it) at separated pointsvsothat a .substantial portion of the gripped area comprises cloth Which lies between the prongs (see Fi 2). Each of the vantageously prothis instance contacting throughout its 'surface with the fabric. The stud part 10 of the fastener is designed to provide acentral base hold it in gripping engagement with they fabric. This construction is advantageously provided in the present instance by punching or piercing the base portion 23 at separated points to form the spaced openings 24and theintervening bar 25 integral with the metal of the base portion. The prongs of the fasr tener after piercing the fabric, enter the holes 24 and are upset inside the fastener part,-

`in this case by being bent in opposite direc! tions over'tli'e bar 25 by means of an appropriate die which, in conjunction with an opprosite1 die or the like in engagementvvith the sary compression or gripping pressure to the stud, fastener, and the fabric. Y 1

i Thefprong elements of the fastener are in the present case provided'by a headed staple 26m'ade of Wire Whichis bent, intermediateV its ends into a sort of C-shape to provide a .transverse the fabric.

` substantially circular head 27. 'A finishing i cap' 28 is advantageously placed over thehead i and the margins of the cap tightly crim ed underneaththe head, which' is slightly ate tened,`fmarginally (see Fig. l) in the crimp ing operation. "Within limits the head of the fastener may be made larger than the diamy eter of head 27 by employing a larger cap.

The base 20 of the socket part 11 is advan-V tageously provided with the spacedholes and bar in the same manner as the socket part; and the base similarly cooperates with its pronged fastener head to grip For purposes of decoration or advertiseinentthe outer or top fastener 21 is advantageouslyfprovided With a head `30 larger than th at necessary merely for attaching purbe formed from a singleV the fastener 20, applies the necesposes. decorated or designed for advertising purposes or. both by appropriate plating and embossing. In the present case a large head is provided While still using the type of staple 26 illustrated, by a metal disk 3l through which the prongs of the staple are pressed and into Which the head of the staple is pressed. Thus the sizeof thehead is not limited by the size of the staple headl The cap 32 ver 'the vdisk not only provides the necessary decoration or advertisement but securely holds the head of the staple against the disk. The cap and disk are in this case givenl a Vconvex outer surface (see Fig. l), thereby providing a cavit on the concave under side into which the base of the socket part il may partly recede so as not to in-f crease the total r thickness of ,the` assembled fastener. i

The piercingof the fabric by the prongs 22 of the fasteners not only preserves the in-A tegrity of the fabric but avoids any Wrinkling thereof, so that it may be gripped smoothly. Sice the integrity'of. the fabric-is preserved,

the fabriccannot readilyslip or move bener illustrated, Without tearing the cloth.

Since the typical snap fastener for this purpose requires less than a pull of twenty-four pounds to separate the stud from the socket, the'v large' factor of safety provided insuresV that the garment will Wear out before it Abecomes torn at the fasteners.

`Obviously the invention is 'not limited to they details ofthe illustrative construction,

Vsince these may be variously modified. v`Moreoverit is not indispensable that all features of the invention be used c'onjointly since various features maybe used in different combinations andsub-combinations- Having described oneembodiment of myv invention,I claim: 'i

r1. Means'for securing'cloth fabric together` comprising in combination a pair of interfitting snap fasteners each having a relative! ly large base constructed and arranged to en` gage a substantial areaof cloth, a fastener attaching means for each fastener part comprising a cloth engaging head corresponding in size tothe fastener base and having` a pair of spaced cloth piercing .prongs projecting therefrom, each base being pierced at sepa- The outer surface of the head may be tween the fastener Ibase and the attachingr head and the areaof cloth betweenthe fas tener prongs cooperates to prevent separation of the fastener from the cloth.

2. Means for securing cloth fabric together comprising in combination a pair vof in-y teriitting snap fasteners each having a relay tively large base constructed and arranged to engage a substantial area of cloth, a fastener attaching means foreach fastener part comprising a cloth engaging head corresponding in size to the'fastener base and having a pairof spaced clothpiercing prongs projecting therefrom, each base being pierced at 'separated points and providingspaced openings and an intervening bar,said intervening bar being flat and continuously smooth on both sides thereof, the prongs ofthe attaching means being bent around thebars of the respective fastener parts under pressure,

whereby the tension of the cloth is distributedV between two prongs so as to reduce the tendency of the cloth to be slit by the prongs.

3. Means for securing cloth fabric together comprising in combination a pair of inter fitting snap fasteners each having a fabricengaging base, a fastener attaching means foreach fastener part comprising a cloth engaging head having a pair of spaced cloth piercing prongs projecting therefrom, each of said fastener parts having means for receiving and engaging the respective attach.

ing prongs, the means for engaging the prongs being between said prongs and being fiat and continuously smooth on both sides thereof, the prongs of each element piercing the cloth at spaced points without weakening r it and being upset underV pressure inside the respective fastener parts, whereby the cloth is gripped between the fastener base and the attaching head and a portion of thevgripped area of cloth lying between fastener prongs so that the fastener parts may be separated by a pull applied directly to the cloth without `subjecting the cloth to tearing strains, said fastener parts each being open on the interior to expose the attaching prongs so that said prongs may be directly engaged to upset them.

4. Means for securing cloth fabric together compri-sing in combination a pair of interfitting snap fasteners each having a relatively large base constructed and arranged to en gage a substantial area of cloth` and provided with a transverse attaching bar, a headed, double pronged attaching fastener for each of said snap fastener parts whose head en-V gages the opposite side of the fabric and -whosefprongspierce*said fabric at spaced points without. tearing or weakening itand aretightly bent around the attaching bar from opposite. sides, saidbar being flatfandf continuouslyv smooth on both sides thereof,

each of said fastener kparts. being open on theV interior whereby the-fastener prongs may be "directly engaged to" bend them over. the `attaching bar under tension so that the: fabricis tightly clamped between-the snap fastener base and the head of the attaching fastener.` 1

5,. Mans foi-securing cloth fabric together comprising `in combination al pair of snap fasteners, each fastener having spaced fabric engaging members, one member of each fastenerbeing a base and the other member of each fastener beinga cap, the base ofone fastener having a lateral portion for interlocking engagement with'a portion of the base of the other fastener, and attachingy means forthe spaced fabric engaging mem-A i bers of each fastener comprising twoA headed and doublepronged elements, one "for each snap fastener, and each element formed of wire, the heads of said double pronged ele# ments simulating split ringsY and secured to and concealed by said caps, andthe prongs of said'headed elements being centered relative yto said rings and extending through and secured* to the respective bases.

6. A snap fastener structure includinr two spaced fabric engaging members, one eing a base and the other a cap, said cap having a marginal open'return bent flange, and said base Vhaving a lateral portion for interlocking engagement kwith a portion of another snap fastener, and the connection between said cap and base including a headed and double pronged element formed of wire having the head thereof in the form of a split ring and receivedin and held by the open return bent iange of the cap and having the prongs thereof extending through and secured to 'said base.

7. A snap fastener 'structure including two spaced cloth engaging members, one being a base and the other a cap, said base having a lateral portion for interlocking engagement ceived between and held by thesections of said cap, and having the prongs thereof eX- tending through and secured to said base'.

8. A snap fastener structure including two spaced clothengaging members, one being a base and the other acap, attaching means including a headed and double pronged fastener formed of wire and having the head thereof secured .to said cap and having the prongs thereof extending through and lsecured to said base, said head being a spiit'ring about said prongs and overlapping a material portionof and constituting a reinforcement and backing for the capvaforesaid, and a snap fastener part projecting from said base and disposed substantially concentric with and receiving said prongs.Y

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to thisspecification.

i IRAv l-D. FORD. 

